[HP] Complex Touch

"I thought you knew what you were doing," he said.

"You jumped!" Ginny laughed, taking her fingers away from his face.

The blood had clotted on his face and she took some tissues to wipe it off before continuing to shave while he closed his eyes again.

"I was hit by a spell last night," Sirius said suddenly, answering her previous question. "Before Remus lifted the spell, I was nervous. But I still tremble from time to time... Even if I am suddenly attacked, don't try to break my face."

Ginny finished shaving his face with a smile.She bit her lip and watched him closely.He slowly opened his eyes and smiled mischievously at her.Gray eyes... Ginny had never noticed that Sirius had gray eyes.

"It's over," she said.

Sirius walked away from her.Ginny jumped off the cabinet and walked out of the bathroom.Remus and James played wizard chess while Peter watched and advised both.She watched as Sirius ran to sit next to Remus, pointing out that he should move his bishop.After watching the chess game for a while, she sighed, and Remus' eyes fell on her.

"I'm going back to my dorm... my friends..."

Remus smiled at her and nodded, before turning his attention to the chessboard.Hadn't Remus been arguing with Sirius and James a few minutes ago about what happened last night?Wasn't it just last night that Ginny, Sirius, James and Lily fought the Death Eaters?Ginny was lost in thought, sour at the fact that the boys hadn't noticed her gone.

Ginny opened the door and was about to enter the stairwell when a sudden cry stopped her.She turned her head to find Sirius half-rising, ready to charge at her.James looked at Sirius with interest.

"See you at dinner," Sirius said, and Ginny blinked earnestly.

James nodded instantly in agreement.

"You're sitting with us—" James hastily corrected himself when he caught Remus' stare. "Well, you are welcome to sit with us."

Ginny smiled, blushing in relief.She thought they had forgotten her so quickly.

---

As soon as Ginny entered the Hufflepuff common room, Crookshanks threw himself on Ginny.Before Ginny could calm her cat, the two girls ran to her, relief and curiosity on their faces.Marlene dragged Ginny to the sofa, made her sit down, then sat down next to her, and Dorcas sat on Ginny's other side.

"Where have you been?" Marlene asked immediately.

"Did you hear about the attack on Hogsmeade? Merlin's teacup, so many dead and wounded—"

"—walked all night, did you sleep with Potter and Black? Ginny! Answer me—"

"—Dumbledore arrived just in time. At breakfast, he looked very angry—"

"Oh! Yes! Dumbledore asked about you, Ginny."

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise.Dumbledore asked about her?That meant - oh no ... Ginny stared at Marlene, feeling like she was falling.Dumbledore saw her in Hogsmeade last night?She was at the center of the battle until she had to leave.Ginny's stomach growled and she put her hand on it, and Crookshanks gave her a glare at having to move.

"Dumbledore asked me?" Ginny asked softly.

Marlene nodded, wrapping a strand of hair around her finger.

"Yes. He wants you to meet him in his office at your convenience," Marlene told her.

Dorcas pursed his lips and watched Ginny.Ginny felt as though the spell had returned to her.Dumbledore knows, he knows, oh, she's done.Ginny closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

"He didn't know you weren't with us that night," Marlene said to Ginny.

Ginny opened her eyes in surprise.

"You lied to the principal about me?"

Marlene smirked, pointing at Dorcas who was moving in the seat.

"You lied to the Headmaster about me?" Ginny wasn't too surprised, because Dorcas was good at lying.

Dorcas nodded with a smile.

"Why did you do that?" Ginny asked involuntarily.

Her question made Marlene and Dorcas roll their eyes.Crookshanks was purring loudly on Ginny's lap as she stroked him absently.

"We're friends, Ginny," said Dorcas. "Friend, partner, you know."

Ginny smiled, shocked that the Hufflepuffs were taking such good care of her.Marlene reached out to take Crookshanks away from Ginny, but the kitten grabbed Ginny's leg with its claws, and she screamed and slapped Marlene's hand away from Crookshanks.Clearly, Kitten missed Ginny and wanted her to know that she shouldn't be away from him for so long.

"Where are you and James Potter and Sirius Black?" asked Dorcas with interest.

Ginny quickly came up with a lie.

"We explored the castle—"

"All night?" Marlene didn't look very convinced.

"Uh, no," Ginny admitted.

"Where did you sleep?" asked Dorcas, leaning forward.

"Where did I... sleep?"

"Yes, sleep," said Dorcas, laughing. "You slept in their dormitory, didn't you? Why, I knew it! I know, Marlene, didn't I tell you?"

"I agree with you, Dorca," said Marlene, in an exasperated tone (as always with Dorcas).

Marlene tilted her head slightly.Ginny couldn't think of another lie about where she slept, and she nodded to let them know she was right.Dorcas was all smiles, and Marlene looked happy.

"That's surprising; didn't you say you didn't want a boyfriend?" Marlene asked.

Ginny immediately shook her head, blushing nervously and smiling.She didn't understand why she was like this.

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend!"

"You just spent the night with two of the best bachelors in school and you're not interested in either of them?" Marlene and Ginny's conversation made Dorcas giggle.

"Yeah, I'm not interested in them!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Interested in whom?" Edgar came over and sat on the arm of the sofa where they were sitting.

Ginny knew things were out of control, and she cursed, putting her head in her hands.

"Liar," cried Dorcas, laughing harder now. "Ginny playing wickedly with James Potter and Sirius Black!"

Edgar looked horrified, and immediately complained.

"They're enemies, Ginny! Two of the best players on the Gryffindor team, you made out with them? Now, unless you've got a strategy out of them, then—"

Dorcas laughed wildly, and Marlene smirked complacently, leaning back and forth on the sofa.Ginny groaned in her hands.She stood up suddenly, and Crookshanks fell to the ground with a hiss.

"Dumbledore needs to see me, doesn't he?" Ginny asked, and without waiting for an answer, she walked out of the Hufflepuff common room.

She'd rather be with Dumbledore who might send her back to normal time for her unruly behavior than with friends who think she's making out with Sirius and James.